How Luxembourg Charities Are Supporting Ukrainians

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday 24 February 2022, many people in Luxembourg and around the world have shown solidarity and offered their support to the Ukrainian population.

One way to help this cause is to support local charities, either by making a donation or by volunteering one’s services and time. Here is a rundown of some of the many initiatives being organised by charities in Luxembourg:

Red Cross Luxembourg

After having released an initial sum of €150,000 to support victims of the war in Ukraine at the end of February, the Luxembourg Red Cross (Croix-Rouge luxembourgeoise) sent an additional €200,000 on 2 March 2022 to help the Ukrainian Red Cross to save lives. This sum was raised through donations from the Luxembourgish population.

“This allows us to continue food distributions, first aid, protection and evacuation of children, their mothers and people with disabilities. We have also been able to buy medical equipment for two hospitals in the Donetsk region, where Luxembourg Red Cross teams are active, and to organise the evacuation of injured people in the area”, explained Rémi Fabbri, Director of Humanitarian Aid of the Luxembourg Red Cross.

Those wishing to support the Red Cross in these efforts can make a donation online at https://donate.croix-rouge.lu/b/my-donation?cid=43&_cv=1 or via bank transfer: IBAN LU52 1111 0000 1111 0000 (reference: Urgence Ukraine).

Moreover, the Luxembourg Red Cross, together with Philharmonie Luxembourg and the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg (OPL), is putting on a benefit concert in aid of the victims of the conflict in Ukraine on Friday 18 March 2022 at 20:00. Tickets cost €49 (€10 for Phil27) with all revenues supporting the Red Cross’ initiatives in the context of the war in Ukraine. To purchase tickets, visit: www.philharmonie.lu or tel.: 263-22632.

The Luxembourg Red Cross also recently launched an appeal for volunteers to help its team at the Findel reception centre, for instance to distribute meals to Ukrainian refugees. Those interested in volunteering should send an email to benevolat@draieck.lu.

Caritas Luxembourg

Caritas Luxembourg currently has a team on the ground in Chisinau in Moldova, where they are supporting a community centre. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this centre caters for particularly vulnerable people (elderly and sick people, as well as women and children) fleeing Ukraine. People stay there for a few days on average before continuing their journey. Faced with the scale of arrivals at the Moldovan border and the lack of space in this first centre, Caritas Luxembourg is now seeking to open a second community centre with its local partner.

“We will have to find solutions for all these families”, emphasised Michael Feit, head of international cooperation at Caritas Luxembourg, who arrived on site last week with the aim of strengthening the support offered. The main objective of these centres is to give these people a place to rest and to organise a follow-up with the psychosocial team. Caritas Luxembourg recently hired local staff to support its mission and to strengthen the Caritas Moldova team. The non-profit is also providing equipment and food upon arrival at the border. “We make day-to-day purchases according to the needs on the ground. This can range from coffee for refugees arriving in freezing temperatures to SIM cards so they can contact loved ones”, explained Mr Feit.

To support the efforts of Caritas Luxembourg, make a donation online at: https://www.caritas.lu/en/make-donation, via bank transfer to the CCPL account IBAN LU34 1111 0000 2020 0000 (reference: Crisis in Ukraine) or via the Payconiq mobile application (QR Code available on the charity’s website).

Note that the Luxembourg Red Cross and Caritas Luxembourg, with the support of Luxembourg’s Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region, have now put in place an online form aimed at pairing Ukrainian refugees with host families in the Grand Duchy. This form is accessible at: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=DCn_dSOjI0eMjIL8MrR1SP9q4rNAJxFLs0zOJpSuFohUQkM3RjFQNkZRVFczT05XMFRTUVpHNldRWS4u

Amnesty International Luxembourg

Within hours of the start of the Russian invasion, Amnesty International staff were on the ground verifying reports and video recordings of attacks on Ukrainians.

Oliver Pirot, Director of Amnesty International Luxembourg, recently stated: “The invasion of Ukraine is a clear act of aggression aimed at overthrowing a legally elected government. This is very clearly a crime under international law, and a brazen violation of the Charter of the United Nations which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State”.

“The collection and preservation of evidence is crucial for justice to be done”, he added, referring to the International Criminal Court’s investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

The Luxembourg branch of Amnesty International, an international non-governmental organisation focused on human rights, has called on members of the public to sign its petition to end Russian aggression and protect the civilian population in Ukraine. The petition is addressed to the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation. To sign the petition, visit: https://www.amnesty.lu/nos-petitions/il-faut-mettre-fin-a-lagression-et-proteger-la-population-civile-en-ukraine/

Those interested in supporting the non-profit’s efforts can also make a donation either online at: https://soutenir.amnesty.lu/ or by bank transfer to the account POST LU08 1111 0000 3333 0000. These funds will finance the work of experts in the field who are collecting evidence of violations of humanitarian law and human rights.

UNICEF Luxembourg

The United Nations Children’s Fund, more widely known as UNICEF, is currently working to support 7.5 million children affected by war in Ukraine. The UN agency is currently on the ground n Ukraine with a team of 140 people.

The first batch of UNICEF humanitarian supplies arrived last weekend in Lviv in western Ukraine from UNICEF's Global Supply and Logistics Hub in Copenhagen (Denmark). It is part of a six-lorry convoy currently heading towards the war-torn country and containing around 62 tonnes of supplies. These supplies include personal protective equipment for health workers as they respond to the health needs of children and families, as well as much-needed medical supplies, including medication, first aid kits and surgical equipment as well as recreational and early childhood kits.

The Luxembourg branch of UNICEF recently launched a fundraiser to support these humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Members of the public can contribute by donating online: www.unicef.lu/ukraine or via bank transfer to the account CCPL LU71 1111 2144 2050 0000 (reference: Ukraine). Members of the public are also invited to launch their own private fundraiser to support UNICEF Luxembourg’s campaign; further information is available on the aforementioned website.

MSF Luxembourg

Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) recently activated its Emergency Fund, which allows it to act as quickly as possible in situations such as that which we are currently witnessing in Ukraine. According to MSF, 82% of the money raised goes directly to the field. MSF’s first international provisions, including emergency medical supplies, arrived in Ukraine last weekend. Additional supplies are on their way.

Donations can be made via MSF Luxembourg’s website: https://msf.lu/don, via bank transfer to the account CCP LU751111000048480000 BIC: CCPLLULL or via the Payconiq mobile application using the QR code provided on the MSF Luxembourg website.

These are just a few of the many charitable initiatives being organised in Luxembourg in support of the Ukrainian population during these challenging times. Several private initiatives are also being organised, as well as an official fundraiser and various charitable activities set up by LUkraine asbl, a local non-profit organisation representing the Ukrainian community in Luxembourg. Details of the latter can be found at: https://help.ukrainians.lu/donate/donate.